Tag Archives: race

I have been reading up on some young farmer organizations in the US and Canada and while reading the National Young Farmers’ Coalition I happily saw inclusivity of ‘every gender, race, and sexual orientation’ in their list of guiding principles. Supporting the interest of family farms is a foundational guiding principle of almost every farmer organization I have been reading about, and it is at the top of the list of the National Farmers’ Coalition, but it is at least refreshing to see that inclusivity and diversity made it into the guiding principles of this organization.

I have nothing against family farms, only against the heteronormative and conservative family values rhetoric that the concept of ‘family’ brings along with it. Hence Rainbow Chard Collective’s call to “Redefine the Family Farm!” To us family includes all the nontraditional and queer relationships that are out there – from queer couples, to poly-amory, friends raising kids, to intentional communities and chosen families and everything in between.

Copied from list of National Farmers’ Coalition guiding principles:

Farmers of Every Gender, Race and Sexual Orientation. We strongly support inclusiveness in the farming profession, and believe that diversity among farmers is critical to maintaining a strong and vibrant agricultural sector to provide for a diversity of consumers.
Click here to view the National Farmers’ Coalition’s website.